1. Paul Gallen $460,900 Back row, front row Even under the new scoring system, the Cronulla workhorse is the most expensive player in the game by a massive $75,000 (Jarryd Hayne is next on $385,000). The big plus with Gallen this year is that he’s now available in the front and back row. The downside is that coach Shane Flanagan has vowed to give his star forward a rest in most matches.

2. Cameron Smith $372,100 Front row Whether you’re talking new scoring system or old scoring system, Cameron Smith is a gun either way. And with 40 trades this year, swapping Origin players out over the rep season becomes a more viable option.

3. Shaun Fensom $340,500 Back row While the new attack-oriented points system hardly suits a worker like Fensom, his big price tag suggests he will be a SuperCoach force once again. That said, with hit-ups under eight metres only scoring one point this year, a lightweight forward like Fensom could be disadvantaged.

4. Tony Williams $307,000 Back row, centre/wing Tackle busting machine Tony Williams is one of the biggest forward beneficiaries from the new scoring system, with his average boosted by 15 points. But with player worths adjusted to account for the new points allocation, the pricing gurus certainly haven’t missed the prized Canterbury recruit.

5. Sonny Bill Williams $294,000 Back row At just under $300,000, the most talked about NRL signing this year has hardly crept under the pricing radar. But while injury is always an issue with Williams (and there’s always the risk he’ll do the Harold Holt mid-year), the new points system is certainly in his favour. Put it this way: with attacking forwards prime buys this year, Williams is a good chance of outscoring Shaun Fensom – and Fensom costs almost $50,000 more.

6. Kurt Gidley $227,300 Halfback, fullback The former SuperCoach powerhouse starts incredibly cheap this year following an injury interrupted season where he managed just five games, two of them cut short by injury (he played five minutes in round two and 59 minutes in round eight). He is unlikely to play in his favoured fullback position given the presence of Darius Boyd, and injury is a constant risk. But it could be a risk worth taking given the leeway offered by 40 trades this year.

7. Robert Lui $140,000 Halfback, five-eighth Lui was priced at $219,600 last year, but only played one game before pleading guilty to assaulting his girlfriend and mother of his son Taleah Rae Backo. The North Queensland star was subsequently banned for the rest of the season by the NRL. He returns this year with a hefty $80,000 discount, but he’ll have to oust gun youngster Michael Morgan from the halfback spot.

8. Albert Kelly $126,700 Halfback, five-eighth The immensely talented but troubled playmaker is well in the running for a starting halves spot at the Titans following the defection of Scott Prince to the Broncos. Discipline is a massive problem (he was sacked from two clubs last year) but his $126,700 worth is a big discount on his 206,800 starting price from last year.

9. Terry Campese $172,600 Five-eighth Many SuperCoaches will have Campese in the “never again” basket following a horror two years that included two knee reconstructions and a serious groin injury. But those with long memories will recall Campese was one of the elite five-eighths in SuperCoach prior to his injury horror. He’s now lost the kicking duties to Jarrod Croker, but could be a high risk, high reward option nonetheless given his brilliant SuperCoach history.

10. Thomas Leuluai $192,900 Halfback, hooker Those hoping James Maloney’s potential replacement at the Warriors would return from the Super League at rookie rates will go disappointed. Leuluai has been priced out of the game.

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